What the Test Had Really Found
The biopsy lasted three hours.
Daniel paced the waiting room. Eric sat beneath the television with his elbows on his knees. Neither man spoke.
When the neurosurgeon finally appeared, I knew Sophie was alive because he was walking instead of running.
“The procedure went as planned,” he said. “She is awake.”
My legs nearly gave way.
“Did you remove the tumor?”
“Removing it now would risk damaging structures involved in vision and hormone regulation. Today’s goal was diagnosis.”
We were allowed to see Sophie one at a time. She was sleepy and pale, with a small bandage hidden near her hairline.
Her first question was not about the surgery.
“Did Daniel’s school let him come back?”
Daniel smiled, but his eyes filled.
“Not yet.”
“Dad?”
Eric stood behind me.
“I called the superintendent,” he said. “I told her there was no pregnancy and no evidence Daniel had harmed you.”
